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Today I've been caught up in some horrendous travel disruption. A fire outside London's Euston station has damaged signalling equipment and basically nothing is moving in or out of Euston tonight. To put that in some context trains from Euston go to Birmingham, Liverpool,Manchester, Preston and Glasgow. We're talking disruption to 100s of thousands of people, some of who are not going to et to their destinations today. I'm in the process of picking my way round a convultued route. I should make it home albeit I reckon on being about 5 hours late home.

It's a frustrating day and one I would normally have a rant about, something along the lines of "that's 5 hours of my life I'll never get back.

It's all about context though. Those 5 hours are part of what I hope will be another 50-60 years in this life (I'm a 30 something)

On my train was a man on his way to London for experimental cancer treatment. I over heard his story as he was being interviewed for a television documentary. As things stand he only has 2 months left to live. He was diagnosed with a brain tumour after he collapsed just a few days after getting married a couple of years ago, before he'd even departed for his honeymoon. If this treatment he's heading for doesn't work his life expectancy can be measured at around 1500 hours. This afternoon he spent 3 of them on a stationary train just outside London. Last I saw of him staff of Virgin West Coast Trains (who I cannot praise highly enough for their efforts to help this man) at Watford Junction Station were trying to find him a taxi to get him into central London.

Despite all my delays, feeling hungry, feeling in need of a shower, I really can't complain.

One of our scout laws is also that a scout makes good use of his time and is careful of his possessions and property.